A favorite for the overall classification of the fifth Arctic Race of Norway, Belgium's Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing Team) created a surprise by taking the lead as soon as in stage 1 after he anticipated a bunch sprint finish in a short yet steep climb on the finishing circuit of Narvik. The day's favorite Alexander Kristoff crossed the line in seventh place with a deficit of only two seconds. The newly crowned European champion is expected to take his revenge on the tarmac of the Bardufoss...

“It's still a little bit of a surprise to win today but I knew it wasn't meant to be a bunch sprint here. I was already here in Narvik for the last stage in 2015. One of my team-mates [Silvan Dillier] won. There were a few laps that time and only one today. In the last 5km, I just followed the good riders in the front. I didn't do anything until I found the right moment on the last climb. I wasn't at the front in the beginning but I was in the top 10 and I...